KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County in Missouri and Miami County in Kansas. He also covers agricultural topics. Ryan caught up with Kansas City's Iranian community back in January as they called the U.S. to action in the Middle East, and now he's following up. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Kansas City's Iranian American community gathered at Mill Creek Park on Sunday to celebrate what many described as a new chapter for their home country, as U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran's regime intensified.
The event was less a protest and more a celebration, filled with song, dance, sweet treats and tea.
"We're in celebration of new life. The regime couldn't take our smiles away, our hope away," said Arshya Zackeri, rally attendee. "Here are treats. Rather than picking up dead bodies, we're celebrating the new bodies that can live in Iran."
Zackeri said the moment carries the weight of nearly five decades of longing.
"It's 47 years of freedom," she said. "There's a reason we are all in this country, unfortunately. It's just nice that after 47 years we can all go back home with a breath of relief without fear of anything."
For Kortandi Alizadeh, the gathering carried deep personal meaning.
"These people I see from my community, it's the first time that I see a real joy," Alizadeh said. "This joy and happiness and laughter is real and genuine."
The celebration came as the U.S. and Israel triggered conflict with Iran, killing its leader. Violence has grown in the region.
Zackeri framed the military action in direct terms.
"I would say this is a war that's actually happened due to facts. We killed a terrorist that funded Hamas, Hezbollah, that funded numerous terrorist groups," Zackeri said. "I think that everyone needs to remember that everybody deserves freedom, we all bleed the same. If a house is on fire, you don't wait for help; you try to get out of the house as fast as you can."
Ali Nikaeen, another Iranian American from Kansas City, told KSHB 41 back in January that his community's goal has always been clear.
"We want exactly what American people have," Nikaeen said previously.
Nikaeen said that freedom now feels closer, in part because of President Donald Trump.
"President Trump promised something, and he had to do it," Nikaeen said on Sunday.
Nikaeen described what he hopes freedom in Iran would ultimately look like.
"Yes, we want freedom, we want separation of church and state. We need to rewrite our constitution and model what the U.S. has," Nikaeen said. "Our founding fathers put a very basic understanding and good document out when they say that you need to have church and state separate, and I believe totally on that. That's where we went in 1979, we went wrong on that."
In a speech on Sunday posted to TruthSocial, Trump addressed Iranians directly.
"I call upon all Iranian patriots," Trump said. "Take back your country. America is with you."
Not everyone, however, is supportive of the president's approach. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat from Missouri, voiced concern Saturday.
"Here we are going into another war. And Donald Trump campaigned that he was going to end the forever wars. And here we are now," Cleaver said. "I resent the fact that my constituents are asking me what's going on, and I don't have an answer."
Nikaeen acknowledged the tension between short-term conflict and long-term hope.
"It will change the nature of the Middle East," Nikaeen said. "That will eventually help us. It in the short term will create some headache, but in the long term it's good."
As the celebration filled the Plaza on Sunday, Zackeri offered a pointed message to those who may not share the community's enthusiasm.
"If you are not in support of what's happening, you need to consider who you are in support of," Zackeri said. "I think we should all be happy that we're making a country free."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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